"Chisnall creates art that references such things as structure, time and Modernism as they pass through a very contemporary mindset that focuses on humor, transience, functionality and futility.”
D. Dominick Lambardi, 'Repurposing With a Passion', The Huffington Post.

Saturday, 25 September 2010

Last night’s game of Two’s a Pair at the Victoria and Albert Museum’s ‘Friday Late View’ went well. Everyone who took part seemed to have a good time and happily walked away with a piece of original artwork at the end of it.

Wednesday, 22 September 2010

If anyone’s at a loose end this Friday then why not come and join me at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, London for the ‘Friday Late View’ (Two’s a Pair).And if you fancy walking away with a free piece of artwork then come along and put your name down to play the Two’s a Pair, Memory Game. But get there early as they plan to allocate tickets to who ever wants to play and it’s a first come, first served deal. In this game of memory, plays will have to turn over and try and match two identical cards from a selection of over a hundred giant cards – all designed by “leading international artists” (not my words, I promise). And if you manage to match up a pair then you get to take home one of the cards home with you - for free, gratis, nothing, nowt…When I was asked to produce a pair of cards for the event I decided to reproduce my Gimp doodle from my late night quick-fire drawings project/bed time ritual.

Saturday, 18 September 2010

It was great to see so many new and familiar faces at today's open studio event. The turn out was fantastic and there seemed to be a never ending procession of people popping through my door - although that could have had something to do with the fact that my studio was next to the free food (which was delicious by the way) and drink table. If anyone would like to come along tomorrow and join us for a chat and brunch, the doors will be open from Sunday 19th, 12 noon – 6 p.m. Here’s a map of the area.

Thursday, 16 September 2010

If anyone fancies coming along to the open studio event at my studio, La Ruche, this weekend please feel free to do so. I’m gonna try and be there for the whole time which is this Saturday, 18th Sept, 12 noon – 7 p.m. and Sunday 19th, 12 noon – 6 p.m. Here’s a map of the area.

In conjunction with London Design Festival and Open House weekend La Ruche will be opening its artists’ studios to the public - visit some of London's most exciting Contemporary Artists and Designers in this unique artist's community and creative regeneration project at the heart of Whitechapel, E1 - conveniently located near to The Whitechapel Gallery and Aldgate East tube.

Monday, 13 September 2010

As part of this month’s ‘Friday Late View’ the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, London have asked various artists and illustrators to each produce two identical over-sized playing cards for a game of Two’s a Pair. I think the idea is that members of the public are given the opportunity to play the game and then get to keep a card if they can match it to its pair. As one of the artists selected to take part in the event I’ve decided to produce blown-up versions of one of my latest doodles, ‘Gimp’. I’ll do one in black and one in red – in keeping with the normal colours you find in suits of cards.

Thursday, 9 September 2010

I’ve just uploaded 24 new doodles, drawings, cartoons and scribbles.
Doodling seems to have become part of my bed-time ritual lately. Most
nights, just before I head off to sleep I try and force myself to knock
out a few drawings. Sometimes I really get into it and am pleased with
the results, while other times I’m either not in the mood or just too
tired and end up with something pretty awful.

‘Amorphous 4’ (above) is the fourth in a series of drawings which are the products of trying to draw things that don’t look like anything in particular. This might sound easy but once you start sketching random forms it gets harder not to let parts of the drawing look like something already existing – you’ll start to notice an eye, an elbow or something finger-like beginning to appear here and there.

Recent/Upcoming Shows

Biog

Based in London since 1999, Chisnall now divides his time and art practice between London and his new, larger studio in Shropshire. Coming from an illustration, painting and print-making background he is now as well known for his sculptures and drawings.

In 2005 he was awarded a bursary and membership from the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

As well as his work appearing in UK and international exhibitions, magazines, on record covers, and on TV (including BBC 2's 'The Culture Show', Channel 4 News, London Live, and Channel 4's 'Four Rooms'), his sculptures have appeared in the feature film, 'Scratch', directed by Jakob Rørvik. In 2013 he was commissioned to produce a series of paintings for the horror film 'Bliaze of Gory'.

The artist's work is featured regularly in on-line articles and interviews, including two separate articles in The Huffington Post.

Chisnall has organised and run art/sculpture workshops for schools and businesses since 1998, including ones for ING Bank's London headquarters via the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

John Malkovich chose Chisnall's script, 'Doppelganger', as the winning entry in the 2008 Sony VAIO Scriptwriting competition. This script, along with Malkovich's was then turned into the short animated film, ‘Snow Angel’.

“ … I’m going to go with the “Doppelganger” script. It’s clever, inventive, and somehow both surprising and inevitable. Very neatly done all in all.” John Malkovich (4th Jan. 2008).

As well as working on his own projects the artist accepts commissions. His clients include Mary Fox Linton, Andy Martin Architects, Converse, Dawood and Tanner, Domus, Ctrl.Alt.Shift, private collectors, and the Ping Pong restaurant chain.

Artist's Statement

Most of my current sculptural work involves the reworking and assemblage of found materials; materials that I feel have a certain ‘resonance’.

Memory, or its fallibility, is also central to a lot of my work. This is more strongly evident in my early pieces, which incorporate or recreate childhood artifacts and toys. A prime example of this is ‘And When I’m a Man I'll Think As a Man’, the life size sculpture of myself as a twelve piece, pre-assembly, model kit. An important aspect of the piece is its bright green colour, which was chosen to match my memory of that of a childhood toy – realizing that the memory would have mutated; exaggerating the luridness of the colour.

Another re-occurring theme or motif in my work is that of the wheeled box or tower, which relates to containment, the urge to possess, and restricted mobility.

As well as the obvious sexual interpretation of the orifice element that has emerged in many of my recent works, my main interest in the device, lies in it being the portal between the internal and the external.

Although not a film maker myself, my work is heavily influenced by my early passion for film and animation. This is evident in my archaic-looking tower sculpture, ‘The City,’ which echoes the same fairy tale or dream-like quality that is characteristic of the short films of animators such as the Brothers Quay and Jan Švankmajer.

“Chisnall’s towering wooden piece is made up of tiny display cases and cabinets made from found materials like skulls, insects and fossils, a kind of modern cabinet of curiosities. Or a nightmarish vision inspired by Jorge Luis Borges. He explains that much like the inhabitants of a big city, each compartmentalised environment plays out its own narrative, seemingly oblivious to that of its neighbour”. Julia Kollewe (journalist – The Guardian and The Independent), 2009.

“...Wayne Chisnall creates art that references such things as structure, time and Modernism as they pass through a very contemporary mindset that focuses on humor, transience, functionality and futility. There is also the presence of popular culture in his thinking, as he addresses the differences between reality and perception, and how that affects the needs, wants and even the formation of the human psyche.” D. Dominick Lambardi, 'Repurposing With a Passion', The Huffington Post, July 14th 2014.